WMP11 (Vista) does not play MPEG files

[Guest]

I have many MPEG files downloaded from my DVR that I cannot play on my new
Vista PC with Media Player 11. I can play the same files on WMP11 on an XP
machine I also have. Does anyone know where I can find the right MPEG codecs
for WMP11 that are Vista compatible? I saw somewhere that I should avoid
coded packs as they cause system crashes.

 

[Andy [Ex-MSFT]]

I have many MPEG files downloaded from my DVR that I cannot play on my new
Vista PC with Media Player 11. I can play the same files on WMP11 on an
XP
machine I also have. Does anyone know where I can find the right MPEG
codecs
for WMP11 that are Vista compatible? I saw somewhere that I should avoid
coded packs as they cause system crashes.

Most DVD players like PowerDVD install the DVD/MPEG2 codec to your system.
If you can't playback DVDs then consider finding a decent Windows DVD
player. You can also try running it through VideoLAN,
http://www.videolan.org VLC runs it's own open source codecs independant
from Windows. Might work for you.

 

[Adam Albright]

I have many MPEG files downloaded from my DVR that I cannot play on my new
Vista PC with Media Player 11. I can play the same files on WMP11 on an XP
machine I also have. Does anyone know where I can find the right MPEG codecs
for WMP11 that are Vista compatible? I saw somewhere that I should avoid
coded packs as they cause system crashes.

Yes... avoid CODEC packs like the plague. A better approach is install
codecs individually from a codec pack. This method usually gives good
results. A good rule of thumb for codecs is like BIOS flashing. DON'T
unless you have a particular need/problem you're trying to address.

If or not Media Player will play DVDs for you in Vista in part depends
on what if any MPEG-2 decoder (codec) you have installed. By default
only the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista include a MPEG-2
encoder. If you don't have either of these, you'll need to install
some third party applications that does include a MPEG-2 codec.

Even doing that Media Player is such a poorly written pile of crap it
still may not function correctly.

Suggestion, download a copy of GOM player and see if it plays DVDs for
you. This feature rich player is capable of playing both MPEG-2 files
and VOB files (used to burn DVDs) Another free player is XnView.

 

[Guest]

Interestingly, I have DVDs of some of these files and they play fine as DVDs
but not the file. Must be another codec that I need for the files.

 

[Guest]

Interesting! I have Vista Basic.
I can play DVDs from WMP11 on my XP machine fine.
When I insert a DVD on the new Vista machine WMP11 opens PowerDVD.

 

[Andy [Ex-MSFT]]

Interestingly, I have DVDs of some of these files and they play fine as
DVDs
but not the file. Must be another codec that I need for the files.

Yeah, there's a program out there, you drag a video file onto the icon and
it'll tell you which codec it uses along with where you can download it. I
want too say it's called GMode? maybe google "Codec Identifier" or
something.

 

[Andy [Ex-MSFT]]

Interesting! I have Vista Basic.
I can play DVDs from WMP11 on my XP machine fine.
When I insert a DVD on the new Vista machine WMP11 opens PowerDVD.

When you installed PowerDVD it probably set windows to run itself instead of
WMP. Bring up your start menu and type "default", you should get an icon for
Default Programs. Open that, and I think you want to choose AutoPlay
options. You can choose what program to open with a DVD or any other CD
format.

 

[Cal Bear '66]

GSpot

--
I Bleed Blue and Gold
GO BEARS!

Yeah, there's a program out there, you drag a video file onto the icon and
it'll tell you which codec it uses along with where you can download it. I
want too say it's called GMode? maybe google "Codec Identifier" or something.

 

[Adam Albright]

Yeah, there's a program out there, you drag a video file onto the icon and
it'll tell you which codec it uses along with where you can download it. I
want too say it's called GMode? maybe google "Codec Identifier" or
something.

Gspot. Weird name for a computer program, but it works. ;-)